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Coda Automotive E.V. Test Drive

By Jim Motavalli June 16, 2009 12:15 pmJune 16, 2009 12:15 pm

The Coda Automotive sedan.

Coda Automotive revealed its battery electric sedan two weeks ago with a Webinar. On Sunday, I got a short test drive with the company’s president and chief executive, Kevin Czinger, near his home in Greenwich, Conn.

It can be very quiet in the leafy precincts of Greenwich, and the Coda added only a high-pitched whine to the birdsong (and the occasional passing Ferrari) on North Street.

As I wrote in my earlier post, the Coda is based on the Saibao sedan built by the Hafei Automobile Group and powered by a 33.8-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery from the Tianjin Lishen Battery Joint-Stock Company. Both are Chinese companies, but Mr. Czinger said 30 to 35 percent of the car was made from parts from Western suppliers, including BorgWarner and Lear.

Coda Automotive, based in Santa Monica, Calif., plans to have the car on the market in the fall of 2010 (though in California only). The company said it hoped to sell 2,700 in 2010 and then ramp up the following year to a production capacity of 20,000.

About the size of a Honda Civic, the Coda’s generic Chinese styling has been given a cosmetic front and rear updating by the Porsche Design Studio that includes the addition of LEDs. Build quality, paint and panel fit appeared very good, but the interior was bland and basic for a car that will cost $45,000 (minus a $7,500 federal tax credit).

There was adequate room for four, and the front seats accommodated six-footers. The ride was firm, but not unpleasantly so. With the single-speed transmission placed in drive and the accelerator pressed, not much happened immediately. The pedal had a lot of travel. But when it did engage, the electric motor’s low-speed torque advantage moved the car off the line with some alacrity. Handling was slightly above average for this class of car, and standard electronic stability control was a plus.

The jogger-clogged lanes offered few opportunities to test the Coda at its limits, but it should be able to handle the California freeways. According to Coda, zero to 60 takes slightly less than 11 seconds, and its top speed is electronically governed at 80 miles an hour. Range is about 100 miles, and a full 220-volt charge takes six hours.

Coda, which plans to market its cars primarily on the Internet, said its advantage in the marketplace is its joint venture and a long-term sourcing contract with Lishen. Coda’s long-term plan is to build its own batteries in Enfield, Conn., through a joint venture with Yardney Technical Products. To aid that effort, Coda and Yardney applied last month for a Department of Energy stimulus grant to build a battery factory in Enfield.

The big question for Coda’s launch is: Will Californians, including early adopters, line up to buy one of the first electric cars on the market? Will they pay the relatively steep freight made necessary by an expensive battery pack? And will they embrace a car that, despite many upgrades, was sourced from China?

The Coda is going to have a very hard time breaking into the market, I think. Even though the Prius is a hybrid, I think the Coda’s bland look and it’s pretty hefty price tag aren’t going to outdo the Prius in the eyes of Americans or the critics: http://motormouths.com/car/toyota/prius

First the batteries used by Plug-in Conversion to convert Prius into plug-in hybrid comes from GP batteries (I know, I know, it’s based in HK but its batteries are made in China), then the batteries for Coda,…is this a trend?
Did we miss something?
As we laugh at Chinese automakers, should we ponder the possibility that China will supply the batteries (or be a major player if EV becomes widely accepted) in EV assembled in U.S., instead of the other way round: batteries made in the U.S. for cars assembled in China (if we accept that plug-in hybrid or something close to that concept may have a future)?

I usually admire the clean design of Porsche Design, and have several of their products; but somehow I can’t quite come to like the grille-less look of this car. I know it doesn’t ‘need’ a grille (few cars breathe through their grilles anymore these days anyway and get air from under-bumper inlets); but maybe they should learn from Infiniti’s early mistakes (and VW’s with the first US Passat) and incorporate some ‘nod’ to a grille of some kind. Or perhaps come up with a new design vernacular. This front fascia just looks unfinished.

Given electric-car enthusiasts’ demonstrated willingness to pay sky-high prices for rickety little deathtraps like the ZENN and Xap Xebra, the Coda should easily sell well enough to meet the company’s modest sales goals. So what if it looks “unfinished”? No one likely to buy this thing is going to care about that (see earlier comment about ZENN and Xap). I think a bigger hindrance to sales would be lack of availability of large vinyl “ELECTRIC” graphics splashed on the sides and ends, so Coda owners can show how they’re SAVING THE PLANET, in much the same way as Prius owners…

Considering Hafei Automotive was founded in 1995 and this is their first venture into the US auto market, it is a remarkable polished product. Compare this to Toyotas of the 60’s or the first GMs or Fords 100 years ago, this is an appealing first generation, first model. In addition the powertrain is more advanced and greener than anything the Big Three American manufactures can produce today. The shape is bland and conventional, but a safe choice for a new company trying to not stumble in its first attempt. Electric cars don’t need grills, and they can have a whole different design language in the future. If they innovate as quickly as the Japanese with a new iteration every 4 years, this company will a major importer in less than a decade. If it was a stock I’d buy it.

The automotive world is a much different place today than it was when Toyota and Datsun came to North America.

There has been an explosion of knowledge about auto design and the tools to design them. As the tools get better it takes few people to design them and now there is a large pool of talented people who are available to bring a new manufacturer up to current standards. Just note in the article that hit was Porsche Design was brought in to polish the design.

Chinese manufacturers may chose to focus their efforts in the domestic market which may not have the same crash, emission and durability expectations that exist in North American and Europe.

Finally remember this is a retrofitted car trying to jump ahead of the major manufactures who have a reputation to risk.

I just don’t see why someone would pay a $15-$20,000 premium (as compared to a current Prius) for a vehicle that has to be plugged into a 220V outlet for 6 hours just to get a 100 mile range. On top of that, there is little environmental benefit to this scenario, if any at all.

It’s the batteries stupid! Li-ion batteries are way too expensive for all but the Tesla super car model. For the humble commuter, it is essential that manufacturers look at super-capacitor enhanced lead-acid battery technology. It has all of the essential qualities of the Li-ion battery, fast charging, high output, regenerative braking, and the added advantage of low cost materials and the ability to be made on existing lead-acid assembly lines. It even makes plug-in hybrids more attractive. Given the generous tax credit this could really work!

With the Chevy Volt estimated to be $40K before tax incentives and offering unlimited mileage with gas engine charging, I would have to say no thanks to code. Here in Los Angeles, one works at home, the other takes MetroLink. We have cut our annaul mileage driven from 60K down to 18K. We have two six-cylinder cars and are looking forward to replacing one with an electric of some sort by 2012. If Chevy Volt delivers on price and quality with gas/electric option that would meet all our driving needs, we will go with the Volt. 2012 should be a very interesting year for eco friendly cars………let the competition begin!!

E.V.s shouldn’t be sold with the battery-pack – the new E.V. owner need not plug to recharge the vehicle’s battery at home – imagine if he lives in a flat in New York, how many plugs must there be in the carpark basement?
Ready and standardised precharged battery-packs that belong to Power Companies await customers who just need to rent the packs..
The Power Company has many outlets, “Battery-Stations” along public roads, just like gas-stations.
The E.V. comes and drives in the Battery-Station just to have it’s empty battery-pack replaced with a recharged one, this takes place automatically in 3-4 minutes.
The battery-packs and the accompanying system of quick exchange is a universally agreed system similar to a VHS system or DVD.
Imagine E.V.s enter and leave “Battery-Stations” like an F1 pitstop.
The E.V. owner only pays for the recharged power and the nominal rent of the battery-pack. People can drive their E.V.s from U.S. to Canada or Mexico or in Europe they can drive pass all countries with confidence because at every “Battery-Station” a recharged battery-pack is always waiting for them.

I agree with many of the comments that $45K, 100 mile range, and 6 hour recharge time is not a good “fit” (pun intended) when there are many more (and more coming) (bio) diesel and plug in/range extending vehicles on the horizon.

Also, a big +1 to the comment regarding battery “stations”. That is the only realistic way the EV’s (any of them) can become mainstream vehicles in a country as vast and diverse as the US.

You’re correct. One of the major costs of a new EV car is the batteries, and you’re stuck with the batteries, even if new technology comes out. With a rental scenario, as you described, new battery technology could be swapped in as well. There was a company who was doing just that in Hawaii, and a couple of different cities, and was hoping to push it out in a few years country wide. I can’t remember the name of the company, but I think the CEO used to run SAP. The article was here at the NYT and was very fascinating and forward thinking. It seems to be the only thing that actually might have a chance at getting us off our addiction to oil.

I can’t help but remember all the comments about how the Volt was going to be overpriced. This seems to disprove that idea. Well, at least from a relative point of view, not necessarily if it is too expensive for you.

I think there have been a number of cars with no, or little grille that have looked good, however this isn’t one of them.

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